Signatures of projectile-nucleus scattering in three-dimensional (e,2e) cross sections for argon

Electron impact ionization (E₀ = 195 eV) of the 3p-orbital in argon is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The triple-differential cross sections (TDCS) obtained using a multi-particle momentum spectrometer (reaction microscope) cover more than 80% of the full solid angle for the slow emitted electron up to an energy of 25 eV and a range of projectile scattering angles from -5° to -15°. Inside the projectile scattering plane the TDCS shape is in rather good agreement with a hybrid distorted-wave plus R-matrix (DWBA-RM) calculation. Outside the scattering plane relatively strong electron emission is observed which is reproduced by theory in magnitude but not in shape. A systematic study of the TDCS behaviour and structure in this region indicates that its origin lies in high-order projectile-target interaction.